21 Web designer vs. graphic designer

I believe that the role of the designer as defined by Stephen does not entirely portray the truth. A graphic designer needs to be able to think in concepts and the effect(iveness) of the communication. In fact graohic designers will regularly fill certain aspects of the role of the art director.
Why is it that the web designer gets so little credit then? Think about the title web – designer — someone who designs webs (of information) – how does it work, what does it do, who is it for, is the user able to access that which they want, does the user have a pleasant experience etc. are questions that need to be addressed by the designer and are not the sole realm of art director.

I would say the vision of a designer as portrayed in this article is inaccurate to say the least.

posted at 07:04 am on May 10, 2004 by Robert

22 Re: Web designer vs. graphic designer

Robert, thank you for your comments. I would like to point out that this article is not intended to portray the vision of a designer— rather, the vision of an art director.

As I commented earlier, good designers are indeed conceptual. Good art directors are usually good designers. However, not all web designers work conceptually, and perhaps those designers can be helped by borrowing from the art director’s toolbox.

I am an art director and designer myself. I certainly am not placing the two in a battle with one another. They co-exist, and many designers are their own art directors, and they do it quite well, in fact. It’s a matter of perspective.

I hope our readers will understand that by writing about one disclipline, I am not excluding our putting down another.

Thanks again for your comments.

posted at 07:56 am on May 10, 2004 by Stephen

23 Re: Idea Generation

An introduction to many idea generation techniques can be found at http://members.optusnet.com.au/~charles57/Creative/Techniques/index.html

posted at 08:22 am on May 10, 2004 by Stephen

24 Art direction verse creative direction?

I think the use of the term ‘art director’ in this article could be substituted with ‘creative director’. I also feel that both positions are slowly dying as designers are becoming more and more creative in developing concepts on their own. This puts art and creative directors in a tough spot because now the designer is not only using his technical and design skills, but his creative thinking skills also. Our company has recently laid off it’s high priced art and creative directors because they realized the strongest concepts were coming from it’s junior and senior designers.

posted at 08:33 am on May 10, 2004 by Robert Samson

25 you say, I say...

Good read. I don’t think it’s about any certain people are this way or that. The article was giving an enlightened look at “directing” a media project(web, print, etc). This doesn’t mean ‘designers’ aren’t anything that ‘directors’ are. I have shot films for ‘directors’, that had less sense than my foot (they should read this article)…

The point is that since many of us ‘designers’, freelance or just in smaller projects have to act as ‘directors’ as well, we must realize it is a different animal and approach accordingly.

If you are a ‘designer’ or ‘developer’ who can do this, you are then something to be feared.

posted at 12:24 pm on May 10, 2004 by zack

26 Uhm, management

Another ingredient to throw into the mix…mangement.

An essential element of defining an art director is that they are always directing or managing other people. No art director works alone :) Essentially, they are good designers (work with concepts) that can also manage people. But, as this article points out, they also manage the ‘project’. Since were talking about design, that means they ‘manage’ the concept. An artistic concept must be ‘managed’ across different groups of people as they work on thier specializations.

Let’s remove the concept of “To do good design you must start with a concept” and set that aside since it applies to either position. The Art Director must manage a singular concept and make sure it’s fully realized throught the project. Where that concept comes could be from him/her self, or any team member. But the skills is in keeping a team of people productive and thier work within the concept of the piece as a whole.

posted at 01:41 pm on May 10, 2004 by RyanN

27 firing seniors

Robert said:

>>Our company has recently laid off its high priced art and creative directors because they realized the strongest concepts were coming from its junior and senior designers.

… Or because they were downsizing and firing senior people to make the firm appear more profitable.

It’s true that juniors often create some of the strongest, freshest work. But so do some seniors. I’ve worked for people 20 years older than me who did stronger, fresher work than I did at the time. And even when senior staff can’t come up with hot, cutting-edge work any more, they offer something of equally great value: namely, experience.

When a place cuts senior staff, it’s almost always a sign that they’re in trouble — no matter what kind of smiley face they put on it.

posted at 01:44 pm on May 10, 2004 by apartness

28 Studying Art Direction

Great article – the fictional toothpaste campaign was a great way to explain art direction. I’m currently studying art direction at one of those few schools that teach it – Portfolio Center in Atlanta, GA. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in art direction in the advertising world.

posted at 11:51 am on May 11, 2004 by Linden Gilliaert

29 Graphic Desgin is Conceptualization

Graphic Design is conceptualization. It is the product of research and problem solving. In my experience Art directors are there to help with creative concepts not to create them. They also have expertise in the technical aspects of the media and ensure the quality of the outgoing product. If you are simply playing out some one elses designs and creative concepts your job title should be Mac Technician not Graphic Designer.

posted at 11:54 am on May 11, 2004 by Andrew Briening

30 graphic design or real design?

re: http://www.alistapart.com/discuss/artdirweb/2/#c8067 by shaZam

The bathing ape article is my favourite ALA article!

I thenk though, you forget (as does 99% of everyone everywhere) there are more than one sorts of ‘design’ professions. e.g. ‘graphic design’ where you are concerned with using a visual media to communicate, e.g. Real ‘design’ solving problems / creating solutions.

I’m sick and tired of people thinking that a ‘designer’ is someone who does graphics. Especially the people that just do graphics and call themselves a ‘designer’!

But I think in this article that designer refers to graphic designer and computer graphic artists.

I think there’s one thing we all agree on for sure: All these job titles are very mis-understood by the people who do the jobs (and their collegues) and the people who hire them.

posted at 06:37 pm on May 11, 2004 by LazyJim